COVID-19 Population Characteristics: Age and Sex

Investigators examined which patient populations are most likely to be tested for COVID-19, test positive for COVID-19, and have the most severe outcomes.

The analysis below includes 165,359 patients tested for COVID-19 and 66,017 COVID-19 positive patients as of April 17, 2020. Data are pooled from 22 health systems that represent 140 hospitals, spanning 11 states and covering 86 million patients.

Figure 1

COVID-19 testing rates by age and sex, compared to the overall population

Women between the ages of 4 and 64 were slightly more likely to be tested for COVID-19 than men. Men between the ages of 19 and 84 were slightly more likely to test positive for COVID-19 than women.

Figure 2

Proportion of positive COVID-19 tests in tested population, by age and sex

Men between the ages of 19 and 74 were also more likely than women to be hospitalized or die due to COVID-19. Men age 75 and older were more likely to die than women.

Figure 3

Severity of disease among COVID-19 patients by age and sex